Scaffold-nail.



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES E. SPRINGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SCAFFOLD-NAIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application iiled December 10, 1904:. Serial No. 236,375.

. new and useful Improvements in Scaffold- Nails, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to nails or spikes for securing together the temporary scaifolding of buildings, and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient structural formation and combination of parts whereby the withdrawal of the nails is expedited in taking down the scaffolding and the liability of splitting the boards or scantlings comprising the scaffolding avoided, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of scaffolding illustrative of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation at line a: x, Fig. 3, of the present removable collar applied in place of the head of a nail. Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations of said removable collar as formed from wire and plate metal, res ectively.

Similar numerals of re erence indicate like l parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawings, l represents the removable collar of the present invention formed of ordinary iron or like wire, as shown in Fig. 3, or from an apertured plate of metal, as shown in Fig. 4, and which comprises a substantially ringshaped portion open at one side and provided with a pair of angularlyarranged lateral extensions or prongs 2, forming a tapering entrance-throat to the interior of the circular space within the ringshaped body portion of the collar. In the preferred construction, as shown in the drawings, the prongs 2 are of equal length, and a material part of the present invention consists in making the inner portion of the entrance-throat aforesaid of a less diameter than the shank of the nail for which the device is adapted for application and so that when applied some force will be required tol Y effect a lateral disengagement of the collar from the shank of the nail.

In practical use the present nail, with the collar 1 attached to the shank 3 of the nail proper and immediately beneath the head of said nail, is driven into place in manner indicated in Fig. l, the collar forming a stop as well as a bearin beneath the head of the nail. When it is esired to remove the nail from its driven position, the carpenter by a blow of a hammer against the prongs 2 of the collar can dislodge the same laterally from its position beneath the head of the nail, leaving said head free for ready engagement by the claws of the hammer in effecting an easy 'and safe withdrawal of the nail. By this means a material reduction is attained in the excessive damage to the scaffold-boards and scantlings which ordinarily occurs in taking down building-scaffolding which had been spiked or nailed together in the ordinary manner.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a scaffold-nail, of a collar open at one side and arranged beneath the head of the nail to prevent surface contact between the timber and the head of the nail when driven and so that when said collar is removed laterally a space will be provided for the entrance of a tool to readily pull the nail.

2. The combination with a scaffold-nail, of a collar open at one side and arranged beneath the head of the nail to prevent surface contact between the timber and the head of the nail when driven and so that when said collar is removed laterally a space will be provided for the entrance of a tool to readily pull the nail, the said collar having'lateral prongs along its side opening for the convenient dislodgment of the collar from underneath the nail-head.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 18th day of November, 1904.

CHARLES E. SPRINGER.

Witnesses ROBERT BURNS, M. H. HOLMES. 

